Electric switch



Jan. 22, 1957 E. N. JACOB] 2,778,891

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed D sc. 10, 1954 e Sheets-Sheet 1 M :MW

fdwz d Miami! Jan. 22, 1957 E. N. JACOBI 2,778,891

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 10, 1954 e Sheets-Sheet 2 Fix/7.77M 1. 30017!Jan. 22, 1957 5. N. JACOB! ELECTRIC SWITCH 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec.10, 1954 Jan. 22, 1957 E. N. JACOBI 2,778,391

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 10, 1954 e Sheets-Sheet 4 J, t... M

Jan. 22, 1957 E. N. JACOBI 2,773,891

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 10, 1954' e Sheejs-Sheet 5 7 IIIIA'Q' P -Iezelaaaage Edward JV? JZwbz INSULATION Jan. 22, 1957 E. N. JACOB!2,778,891

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 10, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Edward AKA :04?!

United States ELECTRIC swrrcrr Edward N. Jacobi, Milwaukee, Wis.,assignor to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporationof Delaware Application December 10, 1954, Serial No. 474,417

11 Claims. (Cl. 200-11) This invention relates to electric switches andrefers more particularly to improvements in automobile ignitionstartswitches like that disclosed in Patent No. 2,650,958, issued to EdwardN. Jacobi on September 1, 1953.

In general, switches of this type are provided with. a rotary contactorwhich flatwise overlies the front face of a terminal head and cooperateswith stationary contacts thereon. The contactor is rotated across saidface of the terminal head by a manually rotatable actuator through adriver having splined driving connections with both the actuator and thecontactor. While not essential, the actuator in most switches of thistype comprises a key controller lock cylinder by which the switch may belocked in an off position.

Inasmuch as switches of this nature are adapted to control a number ofelectrical circuits such as the ignition, accessory and starter circuitsof an automobile, the stationary contacts are grouped in such a manneron the terminal head that different combinations thereof areelectrically bridged by the rotary contactor in different definedpositions of rotation thereof. Hence, detent means is usually providedto arrest motion of the actuator at the desired positions of rotation ofthe contactor, and such detent means is usually energized by a spring.In fact, a single spring confined between the driver and the contactormay be used to not only energize the detent means and thus assure apronounced snap action of the switch, but to also urge the contactortoward engagement under pressure with the stationary contacts.

T he operation of the switch of this invention is similar to that of theaforesaid patent in that its contactor is also rotatable from a definedoff position to a defined first switch on position bridging battery,ignition and accessory contacts on the terminal head, and is furtherrotatable in the same direction to a defined second switch on positionto complete the starter circuit of the automobile. After the engine hasstarted, a torsion spring automatically returns the contactor to thefirst switch on or running position of the switch, as soon as theoperator releases the actuator.

in the running position of the switch, the contactor engages anaccessory contact on the terminal head to make current available for thevarious accessories on an automobile, such as radio, heater and thelike, and it is a desirable feature of the switch of this invention thatthe accessory circuit is broken upon rotation of the contactor from therunning position to the start position thereof, before the startercircuit is completed. This relieves the battery of the automobile ofloads as high as 50 amperes at times when the radio, heater motor andauxiliary lighting equipment are in operation, before the starting motorload is imposed upon the battery.

In addition to the foregoing, it is a purpose of this invention toprovide an ignition-start switch of the character described featuring agenerally simplified construction through the use of fewer and morerugged parts, and to improve the performance of the switch.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide an ignitionstart switchof the character described with unique detent means for arresting motionof the actuator at the desired positions of rotation of the contactor.In this connection, it is a further object of this invention to providean ignition-start switch of the character described in which means onthe driver receives the reaction force of the contact spring andtransmits a part of this reaction force to the detent rneans to energizethe same, and carries the remainder of said force onto the actuator toprevent rattling thereof on the switch housing.

Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of anignition-start switch of the character de scribed wherein friction ofthe moving parts is held to a minimum and can be substantially, entirelyeliminated during operation of the switch.

A further purpose of this invention resides in the provision of anignition-start switch of the character described wherein the contactor,in any defined position of rotation thereof, has engagement with thestationary contacts at three spaced localized areas circumjacent to thecontactor axis (the contactor being pressed into engagement with thecontacts by a spring bearing upon its central portion) to thus assurestability of the contactor and good distribution of contact pressureamong the stationary contacts engaged thereby.

Another purpose of this invention resides in the provision of anignition-start switch of the character described wherein the splinedconnection between the driver and the rotary contactor provides for adegree of universal swiveling motion of the contactor relative to thedriver, and wherein the latter so cooperates with the stationarycontacts during operation of the switch as to cause tilting of thecontactorabout any of a plurality of pivot axes each of which is definedby two of the three localized areas of engagement between the contactorand the stationary contacts.

Still another object of this invention resides inthe provision ofstationary contacts on the terminal head of the switch which cooperatewith the rotary contactor in a unique manner to achieve a camming actionby which the contactor is tilted out of engagement with theaccessorycontact just before it is carried onto the starter contact tothereby assure disruption of the accessory circuits before the load ofthe starting motor is imposed on the battery of the automobile.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it beingunderstood that such changes in the precise embodiments of thehereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two complete examples of thephysical embodiments of the invention constructed according to the bestmodes so far devised for the practical application of the principlesthereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the ignition-start switch of thisinvention, showing the switch housing and terminal head in longitudinalsection;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but viewing the switch mechanismfrom the top;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through Figure 1 along theplane of the line 3-3;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through Figure 3 alongthe plane of the line k-*4;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the switch showing the terminal head,and the assembled driver and rotary.

contactor removed from the switch housing;

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the rotary contactor and thedriver therefor;

Figure 7 is an elevational view looking into the rear of the switchhousing with the terminal head, the rotary contactor and the driverremoved from the housing;

Figure 8 is a developed fragmentary sectional view taken along the arc8-h in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 4 but illustrating a slightlymodified embodiment of the invention;

Figure 10 is a developed sectional view similar to Figure 8 butillustrating details of construction of the modified mechanism disclosedin Figure 9;

Figure 1 1 is a cross-sectional view taken through Figure 1 along theplane of the line ll lll and showing the relative positions of therotary contactor and the stationary contacts with which it cooperates inthe off posi tion of the switch;

Figures 12 through '15 are cross-sectional views similar to- Figure 11but showing the contactor in different operative positions of theswitch;

Figures 11a through a are fragmentary sectional views, respectivelytaken through Figures 11 through 15 along the plane of the linesi3la3illa through 1b'a15a;

Figure 1417 is a detail sectional view taken through Figure 14 along theline 14-b-l4b; and

Figure 15b is a detail sectional view taken through Figure 15 along theline 15b-l5b.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in whichlike numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, thenumeral 5 generally designates the housing of the ignition-start switchof this invention. The housing is shown as a die casting having asmalldiameter substantially tubular front end portion 6 and a larger diameterrear end portion 7. terminal head 3 of insulative material is fixed inthe rear of the housing to close the same and has a substantially fiatfront face 9 inside the housing facing the front thereof and lying in aplane substantially normal to the housing axis.

Lock mechanism, generally designated lid, is mounted in the tubularfront end portion 6 of the housing and comprises a sleeve or casing 11fixed against axial and rotational movement with respect to the housingas by means of a pin 12 projecting from the sleeve into a hole in theWall of the housing. The lock mechanism includes a rotatable plug orcylinder 13 mounted in the sleeve 11 to rotate therein on the axis ofthe housing, and freed for such rotation upon insertion of a proper key14 into the front of the cylinder. The lock cylinder 13 and its key thusprovide the actuator per so, although it will be understood that anon-locking type of rotatable actuator would suffice. The lock cylinder13, of course, is con-strained to rotate in its sleeve, being heldagainst axial motion relative to the housing in the customary manner, bymeans not shown.-

The larger rear portion 7 of the housing accommodates the switchmechanism, which includes a rotary contactor 15,. and a driver ldbywhich the contactor is coupled to the actuator. The 'contactor iii ofthe switch may be considered as interposed between the driver and theterminal head, and comprises a carrier disc 1''? of insulative materialflatwise overlying the front face of the terminal head, and a bridgingmember 22 of electrically conductive sheet material flatwise fixed tothe rear face of the disc 17 and cooperable with stationary contacts l8,19, 2d and 21 on the front face of the terminal head.

The driver 16 by which the contactor 15 is coupled with the actuator forrotation therewith, is also a die casting, and it is supportedconjointly by the terminal head and the switch housing for rotation onthe axis thereof. It comprises a body .23, positioned intermediate thecontactor and the switch actuator and having a splined connection withthe latter, and a reduced hollow bifurcated stern portion 24- extendingrearwardly from the body portion and having a splined connection withthe conta'ctor.

As shown best in Figure 2, the body of the driver has ia cylindricalportion at its front rotatably received in a relatively short bearing inthe switch housing provided by a counterbore 25 at the junction of thesmall and large diameter end portions of the housing. The rearwardlyextending bifurcated stem 24 on the driver projects into a substantiallyshallow well 27 in the front of the terminal head, the well providingthe rear bearing for the driver.

The splined driving connection between the actuator 13 and the drivercomprises a short rearwardly extending non-circular axial lug 2% on thelock cylinder projecting into corres, cndingly shaped hole 3% in a smalldiameter forwardly projecting hub 31 on the driver. As shown best inFigure 2, the front extremity of the hub Ill abuts the rear of the locksleeve 11 and prevents the cylindrical body portion 23 of the driverfrom rubbing against the bottom of the counterbore 25 in which it isrotatably supported so that the driver has limited surface to surfacecontact with the thrust bearing provided by the rear end of the locksleeve. This arrangement minimises the frictional forces which act uponthe driver during operation of the switch.

The rotary contactor 15 seats on the stern 2d of the driver, and thestem bifurcations pass loosely through diametrically oppositesubstantially arcuate apertures 34 in the insulating disc or carrier 17to provide the splined driving connection between the driver and thecontactor and at the same time permit the contactor a limited degree ofuniversal swiveling motion for a purpose to be discussed later. It willbe understood, of course, that the bridging member 22 on the rear of theinsulative carrier is similarly provided with diametrically oppositeapertures 34, which apertures are considerably larger than those in theinsulative disc so as to assure adequate electrical clearance betweenthe driver and the bridging member.

As stated, the bridging member 22 is stamped from a flat sheet ofelectrically conductive material. it is in the form of a disc having adiameter slightly less than that, of the carrier-l7, and it liesfiatvvise against the rear face of the carrier, being secured thereto bya series of circumferentially spaced tangs 36, 37 and 33 on theperiphery of the bridging member bent rearwardly therefrom throughnotches in the periphery of the carrier and clinched over the front faceof the latter. The notch 39 which receives the tang 36 is arcuatelyenlarged and has a substantially radial edge 4b which is bevelled orchamfercd toward the rear face of the carrier for a purpose to bedisclosed shortly.

The bridging member has a full diameter rim portion extendingsubstantially continuously for slightly less than two-thirds thecircumference of the bridging memher, and the peripheral portion of theremainder thereof is cut back or notched, as at 42, with one end of thenotch terminating adjacent to the tang 38. The notch 42 extends past thenotch 39 in the carrier, and its other end is located a slight distancebeyond the chamfered edge 44) thereof.

The large diameter portion of the bridging member has two arcuatelyshaped apertures 43 and 44 therein spaced from one another andequispaced from the axis of the contactor, the aperture 43 having asubstantially short arcuate length and the other having substantiallygreater arcuate length. At the space between their adjacent ends, theapertures 43 and 44 define a small electrically conductive surface 45,and the smaller diameter portion of the bridging member opposite theretoprovides a much larger contact surface 46.

In addition, the bridging member is provided with tangs I 4'7 at thejunctures between the contact surfaces 45-46 and. the apertures 43-4-4,bent forwardly from the bridging member through holes 4 3 in theinsulative carrier, the tangs engaging an edge of each hole, as seenbest in Figure 5, to lend stability to the connection between thebridging member and carrier.

From the description of the bridging member thus far,

it will be apparent that the electrically conductive surfaces 45 and 46thereon lie along a circle passing through the apertures 4344 and arethus circumferentially interrupted by these apertures. The stationarycontacts 18, 19 and 2%) are also arranged along a circle of the samediameter and, consequently, rotation of the contactor will carry itsconductive surfaces into and out of engagement with the stationarycontacts 1%}, 19 and 20 on the terminal head.

The stationary contacts 18, 19 and 20 may be said to ride oif theelectrically conductive surfaces 45 and 46 of the bridging member duringoperation of the switch, and since these stationary contacts are in thenature of frustoconical buttons, the small diameter outer ends of thesebuttons may project through the apertures 43-44 in the bridging memberin certain positions of the contactor, to engage the rear face of theinsulating carrier at areas thereof exposed by the apertures. In orderto assure smooth operation of the switch, the electrically conductivesurfaces 45 and 46 wherever interrupted by the apertures 43 and 44 aresloped forwardly as indicated at 56 to merge smoothly into the plane ofthe rear face of the insulative carrier 17. In addition to slopingsmoothly into the plane of the rear face of the carrier, the sloping endportion of the larger contact surface 46 of the bridging member adjacentto the larger aperture is extended to provide a fiat contact surface 51flush with the rear face of the carrier.

The rim portion 41 of the bridging member adjacent to the contactsurface 51 also serves as an arcuate contact surface on the bridgingmember, and it will be noted that its end which lies adjacent to thechamfered edge 40 of the notch 39 in the insulative carrier is spaced aslight arcuate distance from this edge for a purpose to be disclosedhereinafter.

Each of the stationary contacts exposed at the inner face of theterminal head is connected to the inner end of a terminal which projectsrearwardly from the head and has the usual means thereon to enable theterminals to be connected with the various electrical circuits of anautomobile. These terminals are located at substantially equal distancesfrom one another and from the axis of the housing and as brought outhereinbefore, three of the terminals have the frustoconical contactbuttons 18, 19 and 20 on their forward ends. The contact buttons 18, and242 are identical, but for clarity of illustration, the button 1?. hasbeen shown slightly smaller in diameter in the sequence of viewscomprising Figures 11 through 15 and their associated sectional viewcomprising Figures lla through 15a.

The fourth stationary contact 21 is formed on a plate 55 flatwiseoverlying the front face of the terminal head and riveted in placethereon by the front end portion of its terminal, as at 56. This plateextends outwardly toward the stationary contact and its contact 21 isbent therefrom to project forwardly from the terminal head at an angleof 90 to its front face. Thus, the contact 21 is located at a pointclose to the stationary contact 2t and near the periphery of theterminal head.

As will appear more fully hereafter, the stationary contact 21 projectsforwardly from the front face of the terminal head a slightly greaterdistance than the contact buttons 18, 19 and 29, and its opposite sideedges are bevelled or chamfered as at 57 to coact with the chamferededge 40 of the notch 39 in the periphery of the insulative contactcarrier 17.

The terminal for the contact 18 is connectible with the battery of anautomobile and contact 18 is, therefore, a supply contact. The terminalfor the contact 19 is connectible with the ignition coil of theautomobile, while the contact 2% is adapted to have its terminalconnected with the accessory circuits to make current available forthese circuits whenever the supply and accessory contacts are bridged.The stationary contact 21, of course, is

connectlble with the starter coil of the automobile by its terminal.

With the positions of the parts shown in Figures 1 to 4 and 11, theswitch is in the off position. The small ends of the supply and ignitioncontacts 18 and 19, respectively, project through the apertures in thebridging member and engage the rear face of the insulative carrier 17,while the larger contact surface 46 of the bridging member is engagedwith the accessory contact 20. Hence, in this position of rotation ofthe contactor, two of the stationary contacts 18 and 19 engagenon-conductive surfaces on the plane of the rear face of the carrier,while the third contact 20 engages the conductive surface 46 which is onanother plane displaced rearwardly from the first a distancecorresponding to the thickness of the bridging member. Consequently, thecontactor may be said to be tilted about an axis T defined by its engagement with the supply and ignition contacts 18 and 19, respectively, andall of the circuits of the automobile are inoperative.

Upon rotation of the contactor in a counter-clockwise direction from theofi position seen in Figure 11 through an arc of substantially 35, theswitch is brought to the position seen in Figure 12, where only theaccessories circuits are operative. In this position of the contactor,the smaller conducting surface on the bridging member engages the supplycontact 18, while the accessory contact 2th is engaged by the largerconducting surface 46 on the contactor. The ignition contact 19 remainsengaged with the rear face of the insulative carrier in this position ofthe switch, it being noted that the aperture 44 has an arcuate lengthsufiicient to accommodate counterclockwise motion of the contactor tothe Figure 12 position without bringing any portion of the bridgingmember into engagement with the ignition contact. Also in this positionof the switch, the contactor is tilted about a pivot axis T defined bythe engagement of its bridging member with the supply and accessoriescontacts.

Figure 13 illustrates the relative positions of the contactor and thestationary contacts bridged thereby when the contactor has been rotatedapproximately 35 in a clockwise direction from its off position seen inFigure 11. This may be termed the first on or running position of theswitch, since the smaller contact surface 45 of the bridging member isin engagement with the ignition contact 1?, and its larger contactsurface 46 is in bridging engagement with the supply and accessorycontacts 18 and 20, respectively. During clockwise rotation of thecontactor to carry the same from its off to its running position seen inFigure 12, the two stationary contacts 18 and 19 in effect ride smoothlyup the sloping ramps 50 at the ends of the apertures in the bridgingmember and onto the fiat rear face of the bridging member, while theaccessory contact in effect rides down its adjacent ramp 5'0 onto theflat contact surface 51 which, it will be recalled, is disposed flushwith the rear face of the insulative carrier 17. Hence, that portion ofthe contactor overlying the accessory contact 20 and. the start contact21 is tilted rearwardly toward the terminal head about a pivot axis Tdefined by the engagement of the bridging member with the stationarysupply and ignition contacts. This tilting of the contactor, of course,is possible by reason of the alignment of the notch 39 with the startcontact 21. In the running position of the switch, therefore, the startcontact 21 projects forwardly into the notch 39 in the insulativecarrier. In none of the positions of the switch thus far described doesthe start contact 21 engage either the bridging member or its insulativecarrier.

Further clockwise rotation of the contactor from the Figure 13 positionthereof through an arc of substantially 35 disposes the contactor in asecond switch on position in which the supply, ignition and startcontacts 18, 19 and 21, respectively, are engaged by the bridging member22, and the accessory contact 20 projects through the larger aperture 44into engagement with the rear face of on, or running position of theswitch shown in Figure 13.

An important feature of the this invention resides in the fact that theforward force which the contact spring 59 imposes upon the driver isdivided so that a substantial part of the forward reaction force of thespring is carried onto the detent means to energize the same, while thebalance of this forward reaction force is transferred to the loci:mechanism to keep the same from rattling in the tubular front portion ofthe switch housing. For this purpose, the detent roller 73 is freelyrotatably mounted on the outer end portion of a 83 preferably ofcircular cross-section so that it may be provided by a length of stiffwire. The other end portion of the lever is bent to provide a hook 84.

This lever is loosely received in an elongated recess 85 in the driverextending transversely across its axis and opening to the rear thereof.That portion of the recess which receives the hoolt inner end portion ofthe lever is located medially between the radial arms 63 and 64 of thedriver, and the remaining portion of the recess which receives therollercd end portion of the lever is formed in the radial arm 62 of thedriver. In fact, the recess is of substantially cruciform shape at theouter end portion of the arm 62, the cross branch 36 thereof openingforwardly through the pad 55 and freely rotatably receiving the detentroller 73 to keep it from axial displacement relative to the lever 83.Hence, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5, the detent roller 73 projectsforwardly entirely through the cross branch of the recess for engagementwith the notched surface of the cam track 74-.

Also, as seen best in Figure 4, the hooked end projects forwardly and isloosely fulcrumed on an abutment 87 on the driver formed at the bottomof the recess 85 therein. The fulcrum S7, of course, provides a pivotalsupport upon which the lever may rock about an axis crosswise to, butspaced from, the axis of the driver, the lever being guided for suchforward and rearward rocking motion of its rollered end by the walls ofthe recess 35.

The contact spring 59 which presses upon the front face of the contactorat the central portion thereof, is disposed partly between thebifurcations of the stem portion of the driver, but the major portion ofthis spring projects into an axial bore 39 in the driver opening to therear of the body portion thereof slightly eccentric to its axis in thedirection of the rollered end of the lever 83. The lever 33, of course,extends transversely across the bore 8% so that the contact spring 59bears against a medial portion of the lever 83 and is thus confinedbetween the latter and the rotary contactor. Consequently, the forwardreaction force of the spring is divided by the lever 33 into a forcewhich presses the detent roller 73 into firm engagement with the camtrack 74, and another force which presses the small diameter hub 31 onthe front of the driver into engagement with the rear end of the locksleeve 11, through the engagement of the bent end portion of the leverwith its fulcrum 87.

By this unique arrangement, not only is rattling of the lock mechanismin the housing precluded and a desirable degree of detent pressureprovided, but friction due to rubbing engagement between the driver andthe stationary parts of the mechanism is held to a minimum for thereason that a substantial portion of the forward reaction force of thecontact spring is carried into the switch housing by the detent roller'73.

it will also be evident that, as the driver is rotated from one definedposition to another, the peaks between the notches in the cam track rockthe rollered end of the detent lever rearwardly against the contactspring 59, thus tending to reduce that portion of the forward reactionforce of the spring which is carried onto the rear of the lock sleevethrough the fulcrum 87 on the driver, thus, in effect, tending to freethe driver from rubbing engagement with the rear of the lock sleeve.This appreciably lessens the friction resisting free rotation of thedriver, and further minimizes the tendency of the driver to bind, as wasthe case in many past ignition start switches of this nature.

If desired, the driver may be lifted out of rubbing engagement entirelyfrom the rear of the lock sleeve and all of the forward reaction forceof the contact spring utilized to energize the detent means to furtherreduce friction tending to resist rotation of the driver, and to achievea more pronounced detent action at the different defined positions ofthe switch. This may be accom plished, as shown in the modificationillustrated in Figure 9, by providing a stop abutment 90 on the driverimmediately behind the outer end portion of the lever 83, outwardly ofthe roller 73 thereon. This stop is engaged by the lever as soon asrotation of the driver causes the roller "13 to be forced rearwardly outof any of the detent notches in the cam track. In this latter event, theengagement of the lever arm with the driver abutment causes the driverto be cammed rearwardly in its bearings, away from engagement with therear of the lock sleeve or any rearwardly facing thrust bearing againstwhich the driver might bear to define the forward limit of motionthereof.

Also in the Figure 9 embodiment of the invention, the cam track isformed in the bottom of the counteroore which provides the bearing forthe cylindrical body portion of the driver. it extends along an arewhich crosses a portion 91 at the rear of the lock sleeve, and in therunning position of the switch the detent roller 73 directly engages therear end of the sleeve, as seen in Figures 9 and 10, so that the forceof the contact spring is imposed upon the lock mechanism to prevent thesame from rattling on the switch housing. in all other positions of thedetent roller on the cam track there is no need for guarding againstrattling of the lock mechanism for the automobile will not be inoperation.

From the foregoing description, together with the accompanying drawings,it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that thisinvention provides an improved ignition start switch having thefollowing features: a minimum number of parts; simplicity ofconstruction; improved performance by reason of the fact that frictionopposing free rotation of the driver is held to a minimum; a rotarycontactor which may swivel on its connection with the driver so that theforce of a single contact spring acting upon the rotary contactor isequally divided among a combination of three stationary contact buttonson the terminal head circumjacent to the contactor axis in any definedposition of the switch; utilization of part of the forward reactionforce of the contact spring, or all of it, to energize detent means ofnovel construction to arrest rotation of the driver at the differentdefined positions of rotation of the contactor; and utilization of thestationary starter contact to cam the contactor away from the accessorycontact and render the accessories circuits inoperative before thebridging member is brought into engagement with the starter con tact.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. in an electrical switch: a terminal head having a pair of spacedapart stationary contacts on one side there of and having terminals forconnecting said contacts in an electrical circuit; a contactor overlyingsaid side of the terminal head and comprising an insulative carrierhaving an electrically conductive bridging member thereon cooperablewith the stationary contacts; means on the switch mounting the contactorfor tilting motion toward and from said side of the terminal head andfor back and forth sliding motion substantially parallel to said side ofthe terminal head, so that sliding motion of the contactor in onedirection carries the bridging member into engagement with both of saidstationary contacts, and sliding motion of the contactor in the oppositedirection causes an end portion on the bridging member to slide off oneof the stationary contacts to effect disruption of an electrical circuitcontrolled thereby; yieldable biasing means acting upon the contactor ina direction to urge the same toward the contact side of the terminalhead to tnereby assure pressure engagement between the bridging memberand the stationary contacts; movable actuating means on the switch;means drivingly connecting the contactor with said actuating meanswhereby the latter slides the contactor back and forth withoutinterfering with tilting of the contactor relative to the actuatingmeans and to tie terminal head; and cooperating cam means on theinsulative carrier and on a part fixed with respect to the terminalhead, brought into cooperative engagement substantially at the time saidend portion of the bridging member begins to slide off said onestationary contact, during sliding movement of the contactor in said onedirection, for tilting said contactor about a fulcrum comprising theother of said stationary contacts in a direction to carry said endportion of the bridging member away from said one stationary contact tothus effect simultaneous sliding and lifting of said end portion of thebridging member off said one stationary contact and thereby minimize thepossibility of arcing as the circuit controlled by said stationarycontacts is disrupted,

2. In a switch for controlling the ignition, accessory and startercircuits of an automotive vehicle: a terminal head having stationarysupply, ignition and accessory con tacts on one side thereofsubstantially equispaced from one another; a manually operable contactorcomprising an insulative carrier having an electrically conductivesurface thereon cooperable with said contacts; means mounting thecontactor on the switch for back and forth sliding movementsubstantially parallel to said side of the terminal head and for tiltingmotion toward and from said side of the terminal head, said contactorbeing slidable in one direction from an off position to a first switchon position wherein its electrically conductive surface bridges saidsupply, ignition and accessory contacts, and being slidable further inthe same direction to a second switch on position wherein itselectrically conductive surface bridges said ignition and supplycontacts, and during which further movement said electrically conductivesurface on the contactor rides off the accessory contact, said contactorbeing tiltable upon said ignition and supply contacts to carry itselectrically conductive surface out of engagement with the accessorycontact; biasing means acting upon the contactor to yieldingly urge thesame into engagement with said contacts; a stationary starter contact onsaid side of the terminal head positioned near but spaced from theaccessory contact, and engaged by the electrically conductive surface onthe contactor in said second switch on position thereof; and cooperatingcam means on said insulative carrier and the terminal head brought intoengagement with one another by movement of the contactor toward saidsecond switch on position, substantially at the time said electricallyconductive surface of the contactor begins to ride off the accessory contact and before said electrically conductive surface engages thestarter. contact, for tilting the contactor about a fulcrum defined byits engagement with the ignition and supply contacts to lift saidelectrically conductive surface of the contactor out of engagement withthe accessory contact and thereby speed the separation of saidelectrically conductive surface from the accessory contact.

3. in a switch for controlling the ignition, accessory and startercircuits of an automotive vehicle: a terminal head having stationarysupply, ignition and accessory contacts on one side thereofsubstantially equispaced from one another; a manually operable contactorincluding an insulative carrier, and means on said carrier defining anelectrically conductive surface cooperable with said contacts; meansmounting said contactor on the switch for back and forth slidingmovement substantially parallel to said side of the terminal head andfor tilting motion to ward and from said side of the terminal head, saidcon tactor being slidable in one direction from an off position to afirst switch on position wherein its electrically conductive surfacebridges said supply, ignition and accessory contacts, and being siidablcfurther in the same direction to a second switch on position wherein itselectrically conductive surface bridges said ignition and supplycontacts but is disengaged from the accessory contact, said contactorbeing tiltable on said ignition and supply contacts away from engagementwith the accessory contact; biasing means acting upon the contactor toyieldingly urge the same toward engagement with said contacts; astationary starter contact on said side of the terminal head positionednear but spaced from the accessory contact, and engaged by theelectrically conductive surface on the contactor in said second switchon position thereof; and cooperating cam surfaces on said insulativecarrier and the starter contact brought into on gagement with oneanother during movement of the contactor toward said second switch onposition, before the electrically conductive surface on the contactorengages the starter contact, for tilting the contactor about its pointsof engagement with the ignition and supply contacts to lift itselectrically conductive surface out of engagement with the accessorycontact and thereby assure that the accessory circuit will be brokenbefore the starter circuit is completed.

4. in a switch for controlling the ignition, accessory and startercircuits of an automotive vehicle: a terminal head having spaced supply,ignition, start and accessory contact buttons stationarilj/ mounted onone side thereof,

' and accessory contact buttons being located a another and distance toone side of a line 1g through the contact surfaces of the battery andignition contact buttons; a movable contactor overlying said side of theterminal head and including an insulative carrier having bridging meansthereon shaped for selective engagement with said stationary contactbuttons in different positions of the contactor; means on the switchmounting the contactor for rotation in opposite directions about an axissubstantially normal to said side of the terminal head and locatedsubstantially centrally between the stationary contacts thereon, and fortilting motion of the contactor out of its axis of rotation, saidcontactor being rotatable in one direction from an off position at whichits bridging means is disengaged from the supply contact to a firstswitch on position at which its bridging means engages said supply,ignition and accessory contacts, and being rotatable further in saiddirection to a second switch on position at which its bridging meansengages said supply, ignition, and start contacts and during whichfurther rotation said bridging means slides out of engagement with theaccessory contact button, said contactor being tiltable upon said supplyand ignition contact buttons in a direction to carry its bridging meansaway from engagement with the accessory contact button; biasing meansyieldingly acting upon a portion of the contactor near its axis toyieldingly urge the same toward engagement with the stationary contactbuttons and so that the centrally eX- erted force acts upon the tiltablecontactor to effect seating of the same upon the stationary contactbuttons with substantially equal contact pressure on each; andcooperating cam means on the terminal head and the contactor carrierbrought into engagement with one another substantially at the time saidbridging means on the contactor begins to slide out of engagement withthe accessory contact button during rotation of the contactor to itssecond switch on position, and before the bridging means engages thestart contact, for tilting the contactor out of engagement with theaccessory contact button about is points of engagement with the supplyand ignition contact buttons, to thereby speed the separation of thecontactor from the accessory contact button.

5. In an electrical switch: a housing; a terminal head fixed on thehousing at the rear thereof; a number of stationary contacts on thefront of the terminal head; a manually operable actuator; means mountingthe actu atcr on the front portion of the housing for rotation on anaxis which intersects the terminal head; a rotatable contactor in thehousing between the actuator and the terminal head and cooperable withthe contacts on the latter; a driver connected with the actuator torotate therewith and having a splined driving connection with thecontactor so that rotation of the actuator is imparted to the contactor;means on the housing defining a cam track having a rearwardly facingnotched detent surface adjacent to the driver and concentric to the axisthereof; a lever mounted on the driver to rotate bodily therewith andfor pivotal motion relative thereto about an axis spaced to one side ofand substantially normal to the driver axis, said lever extending acrossthe driver axis and having its free end portion disposed at the oppositeside thereof and lying behind said notched surface of the cam track; aroller on said free end portion of the lever tracking upon saidrearwardly facing notched surface of the cam track; and a springconfined under compression between the contactor and the lever to urgethe contactor rearwardly into engagement with the stationary contacts onthe terminal head and tending to swing the lever forwardly about itspivot axis so that the roller on the lever is pressed against the camtrack and cooperates with the notches therein to arrest rotation of thedriver and the contactor coupled thereto at a number of differentpositions at which the contactor engages different combinations ofstationary contacts.

6. in an electrical switch: a housing; a terminal head fixed on thehousing at the rear thereof; a number of stationary contacts on thefront of the terminal head; a manually operable actuator mounted on thefront portion of the housing and constrained to rotation on an axiswhich intersects the terminal head, said actuator having a rearwardlyfacing surface providing a thrust bearing normal to the axis of actuatorrotation; a contactor in the housing between the actuator and theterminal head and rotatable between a plurality of positions engagingditferent combinations of stationary contacts; a driver coupled with theactuator to rotate therewith and having a splined driving connectionwith the contactor to transmit rotation thereto from the actuator, saiddriver having a reduced hub proiecting forwardly therefrom intoengagement with the thrust bearing provided by the rear of the actuator;means on the housing defining a detent track having a rearwardly facingnotched detent surface adjacent to the driver and concentric to the axisof rotation thereof; a lever mounted on the driver to rotate bodilytherewith and for pivotal motion relative thereto about an axis spacedto one side of and substantially normal to the driver axis, said leverextending across the driver axis and having its free end disposed at theopposite side thereof and lying behind said detent surface on thehousing; a roller on the free end portion of the lever tracking uponsaid detent surface of the housing; and a spring confined undercompression between the contactor and an intermediate portion of thelever to urge the contactor into pressure engagement with the stationarycontacts, the forward reaction force of said spring being divided by thelever into a force acting upon the roller to energize the detent meansprovided by the roller and the detent surface on the housing whereby thedetent means defines the different positions of rotation of thecontactor, and another force acting through the lever pivot to urge thehub on the front of the driver into engagement with the thrust bearingprovided by the rear of the actuator to thereby prevent rattling of theactuator on the housing.

7. The electrical switch set forth in claim 6 further characterized bythe provision of a stop on the driver positioned to be engaged by a parton the rollered end portion of the lever whenever the latter is rockedrearwardly on its pivot axis as a consequence of the roller thereon 14being cammed out of a notch in the detent track, whereby the entiredriver is moved rearwardly in the switch housing to disengage the hub onthe front of the driver from the thrust bearing provided by the rear ofthe actuator and thus reduce friction resisting free rotation of thedriver.

8. In an ignition switch of the character described: a housing; aterminal head fixed on the housing at the rear thereof and having anumber of stationary contacts on its front; manually operable actuatingmeans mounted on the front of the housing and comprising a rotatablemember constrained to rotate on an axis which intersects the terminalhead; a contactor in the housing overlying and cooperable with thestationary contacts on the terminal head, said contactor being rotatablein one direction from an off position to an ignition on position; adriver connected with said rotatable member to rotate therewith andhaving a spli'ned driving connection with the contactor to transmitrotation from the rotatable member thereto; detent means for definingsaid off and ignition on positions of rotation of the contactor,comprising a lever carried by the driver for bodily rotation therewithand for pivotal motion relative thereto about an axis spaced to one sideof and substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the driver, saidlever extending across the driver axis and having a roller journalled onits free end portion, and a rearwardly facing detent surface on thehousing cooperable with said roller, said detent surface having a notchin which the roller may engage to define the off position of rotation ofthe contactor, and having another notch, angularly spaced from thefirst, in which the roller may engage to define the ignition on positionof rotation of the contactor; a spring confined under compressionbetween the contactor and an intermediate portion of said lever tosupply contact pressure and to also energize the detent means; and meanson said manually operable actuating means providing the bottom of saidother notch and engaged by the detent roller in the ignition on positionof the contactor to receive a part of the forward reaction force of saidspring, whereby said actuating means is held against rattling on thehousing in the ignition on position of the switch.

9. In an electric switch of the character described: a housing; manuallyoperable actuating means mounted on the front portion of the housing andcomprising'a rotatable member constrained to rotate on fixed axis; aterminal head fixed on the housing a distance axially rearwardly fromthe rotatable member, said terminal head having stationary contacts on aforwardly facing portion thereof; .a driver in the housing coupled tothe rotatable member to rotate therewith, said driver having acylindrical body portion adjacent to the rear of the rotatable member,and having a reduced hollow rearwardly projecting bifurcated stern;means on the front portion of the housing defining a bearing torotatably receive a substantially short axis length of the cylindricalbody portion of the driver; the terminal head having a well opening toits front and defining a pilot bearing coaxial with the bearing on thefront portion of the housing, and into which a substantially short axialportion at the rear of said stem projects to rotatably support thedriver from a point spaced rearwardly of said bearing on the frontportion of the housing, the body portion of the driver having a boretherein opening rearwardly to the space between the stem bifurcations; arotary contactor seated on said bifurcated stem and wholly carriedthereby and having a splined driving connection therewith provided byapertures in the contactor through which the stem bifurcations pass,said contactor being coopera'ole with the stationary contacts on theterminal head, said apertures being large enough to provide for alimited degree of swiveling motion of the contactor out of coaxialitywith respect to the driver stem so as to enable the contactor to tiltinto equalized contact engagement with the stationary contacts despitemisalignment between the front and rear bearings for the driver;

earnest detent means for arresting rotation of the contactor at aplurality of dififerent positions of rotation thereof at which thecontactor cooperates with difierent combinations of stationary contacts,said detent means comprising a cam track on the switch housing having arearwardly facing notched surface adjacent to the cylindrical bodyportion of the driver, a lever carried by the driver for bodily rotationtherewith and for pivotal motion relative thereto about an axis spacedto one side of and substantially normal to the driver axis, said leverextending across said bore in the driver and across the driver axis tohave its free end portion rearwardly overlying said cam track on thehousing, and a roller journalled on the free end portion of the leverand tracking upon said cam track; and a spring received partly in saidbore of the driver and partly in the space between the stem,bifurcations, said spring being confined under compression be tween thecontactor and an intermediate portion of the lever to supply contactpressure for the contactor and to also energize the detent means byurging the roller into the notches in the cam track.

it). in a'switch of the character described: a housing; a terminal. headon the rear of the housing having its front facing the inside of thehousing; an actuator mounted on the front portion of the housing forrotation on an axis substantially normal to the front of the terminalhead; a contactor in the housing between. the actuator and terminalhead, and comprising an insulative carrier, and a bridging member fixedto the rear of the carrier and facing the front ct the terminal head;means providing a rotation transmitting connection between the actuatorand said contactor which affords the contactor a limited degree oftilting motion relative to its axis of rotation; stationary contacts onthe front of the terminal head spaced from one another and from thecontactor axis, and selectively engageable by the bridging member on thecontactor in diifcrent positions of rotation thereof, two of saidstationary contacts being adjacent to one another but projectingdifferent distances forwardly from the front of the terminal head andlocated difierent distances from the axis of contactor rotation, saidbridging member being shaped to have engagement with the shorter of saidtwo stationary contacts in one position of rotation of the contactor andto have engagement with the longer of said two stationary contacts inanother position of rotation of the contactor at which the longercontact holds the contactor tilted with its bridging member disengagedfrom the shorter contact; said carrier and the bridging member havingregistering recesses therein in which the longer contact is received insaid first predetermined position of the contactor at which the bridgingmember thereon is in, engagement with the shorter con tact; and cammeans on the carrier cooperable with said longer contact at a positionintermediate said two prede remained positions of rotation of thecontactor for ettecting titling of the contactor in a direction to carryits bridging member out of engagement from the shorter stationarycontact during rotation of the contactor from said first to said secondpredetermined positions thereof, before the bridging member is broughtinto engagement with said longer contact.

ll. The switch set forth in claim 10 further characterized by the factthat the bridging member has a second recess therein to receive theshorter contact in said second designated position of rotation of thecontactor; and wherein said cam means on the carrier is so locatedradially relative to said second recess as to effect tilting of thecontactor away from the shorter contact concomitantly with the entranceof the shorter contact into said second recess during rotation of thecontactor from said first to said second predetermined positionsthereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,502,952 iacObi Apr. 4, 1950 2,679,557 Miller May 25, 1954 2,715,661Miller Aug. 16, 1955

